What to do when surround sound is not working in Windows 10?

One solution that seems particularly effective for users struggling with the 5.1 channels issue is to enable enhancements and Speaker Fill. While this will allow you to use all your speakers when running Windows 10, the overall sound quality will be lowered.

Why are my 5.1 surround speakers not working?

5.1 surround sound is not working… Applications and Drivers are fully updated, I have tried uninstalling and re-installing the drivers. When I select 5.1 under the types of speakers in my application, it disables my center speaker, and makes my rear speakers really garbling.

How can I test my 5.1 surround sound?

Make sure your source is 5.1 surround sound (YouTube Halo recordings are not). You can download a true test from It worked for me.

How do you disable sound effects on 5.1 surround speakers?

Press Windows key + R and type “mmsys.cpl”. Hit Enter to open the Sound dialog box. Go to the Playback tab, select your 5.1 surround speakers and click on Properties. In Speaker Properties, go to the Enhancement tab and uncheck the box next to Disable all sound effects.

What to do when surround sound is not working?

Go to the Playback tab, select your 5.1 surround speakers and click on Properties. In Speaker Properties, go to the Enhancement tab and uncheck the box next to Disable all sound effects. Then, Scroll down to the menu below and check the box next to Speaker Fill. Hit Apply to save your configuration.

Is the surround sound still broken in Windows 10?

Update: After more than two years, the surround sound is still partially broken in Windows 10. Even if fixes were implemented on builds 10586.1 and build 10586.3, the issue still partially remains. Right now, the issue only affects surround sound encoded in real-time like games or DTS Live.

How do I enable surround sound in Windows 10?

Here’s what you need to do to enable speaker fill: Press Windows key + R and type “mmsys.cpl”. Go to the Playback tab, select your 5.1 surround speakers and click on Properties. In Speaker Properties, go to the Enhancement tab and uncheck the box next to Disable all sound effects.